Undulating track and mechanisms for forming track undulations

ABSTRACT

“UNDULATING TRACK AND MECHANISMS FOR FORMATION OF THE WAVES ON THIS TRACK”, describes apparatus that can be used with recreational purposes, sports, industrial, among other applications, comprising a rolling track or raceway ( 1 ), consisting of flexible material mounted on a compatible structure, also flexible, track-type tubes ( 2 ) being supported by the ends of the conveyor pipe ( 2 ) in lateral supports ( 3 ) of the beam type or the wall or similar structure; and to contain a cart ( 4 ) with wheels ( 41 ) supported on rails ( 5 ) mounted underneath the bearing race ( 1 ) and having a wave forming mechanism, random or controlled, mounted on said cart ( 4 ) moving said wave-forming mechanism along the bearing track ( 1 ) by means of a traction mechanism of the type carried by chains or steel cables.

The present patent application provides an apparatus including a trackor a flexible surface and a mechanism located under this flexible trackthat by moving this mechanism are formed waves that can be random orcontrolled, with varying heights of waves on this track. This requestprovides several constructive settings of these producers wavesmechanisms. This apparatus can be used with recreational, sports orindustrial purposes and other applications.

The current state of the technique did not show any set whoseconfiguration was similar to the producer set of random or controlledwaves of a flexible surface, object of this request.

The wave track and the mechanisms for the production of the waves on thetrack, disclosed herein are a set formed by: a so-called raceway surfaceformed of flexible material mounted on a compatible structure,track-type tubes which ensures the flexibility of the roadway; and arandom or controlled wave production mechanism located under this track.The wave forming mechanism is mounted on rails or guides located underthe tubes mat; consists of a car that moves along a rail, or guide,being pulled by a chain or gearmotor rack or similar mechanism; andproviding at least one set of forming elements waves. These formingelements waves are formed by lever arms located on the cart, fixed withone end in contact with the lower surface of the raceway; also providesfor the provision of hydraulic or pneumatic pistons that allow the riseand fall of these arms allowing to lifting the arms lifting that racewayregion, forming the wave, and the cart displacement produces themovement of this wave along the raceway. The elevation of the arm andthe cart travel speed will determine the shape of the waves and theswell travel speed.

The various possibilities for stand displacement engine settings, aswell as the arrangement of the lever arms and the lifting and loweringmechanism of these arms will be better understood from the detaileddescription of the invented object, associated with the figurespresented as an illustration and example.

FIG. 1 shows a front view, in section, illustrating the mountingconfiguration of the wave track; the raceway (1) and the mechanismforming ripple.

FIG. 2 shows a general representation illustrating the wave track andthe ripple forming mechanism situated under the raceway.

FIG. 3 shows a side view illustrating the mechanism, a solution forforming various simultaneous waves.

FIG. 4 shows a top view illustrating a solution for the tractionmechanism forming waves.

FIG. 5 shows a front view illustrating a solution for the traction ofthe forming waves mechanism.

FIG. 6 illustrate in details a solution for the traction of the wavesforming mechanism.

FIG. 7 shows a side view illustrating a second possible configuration ofthe wave forming mechanism and the moving cart mechanism (4).

We note that the accompanying drawings and the following detaileddescription are provided only as an example, because the details of themechanism and the specific configurations are not to being interpretedas limiting, but merely as a basis for the description of the inventedobject. These serve as a representative basis for the requests and toteach a technical expert to use and putting into practice thedevelopment of this invention. Based on the detailed structure cannumerous engineering solutions be available for the design of theinvented object without disfigure the inventive idea.

FIG. 1 illustrates the invention object disclosed, as an constructioncomprising a surface formed by flexible material, herein called raceway(1) mounted on a set of compatible tubular structure, track-type tubes(2), which acts as support for the raceway (1) and ensures itsflexibility and elevation. This first raceway assembly (1) arranged onthe tubes mat (2) on the lateral supports (3), beam or a kind of wallstructure for a height that allow the arrangement of waves formingmechanism below the tube mat (2). This arrangement configuration of theraceway (1) and the pipe mat (2) on the random wave forming mechanismcan be made through walls and beams, or the construction of a bridge ora channel, provided that it meets this functional setting. It is alsopossible to identify in FIG. 1 the layout of a cart (4) with wheels (41)supported on rails (5) which leads the waves forming mechanism and allowthe movement of the mechanism along the raceway (1). The wave formingmechanism is comprised primarily of lever arms (6) attached on bearingson the cart, and at least one end of these arms (6) comprises rollers(7) in contact with the lower surface of the tubes mat (2). These arms(6) are articulated and rise and fall by the driving hydraulic cylinders(8) driven hydraulic pump (81) and fed by batteries (82), or by othercompatible methods.

FIG. 2 shows the illustration in side view, where the arm (6) is alreadypresents an elevated position by lifting the tube mat (2) together withthe bearing raceway (1), the lifting height of the arms (6) can berandom and depends on the configuration of the drive piston engine andthe hydraulic pump (81). The drive can be preferably controlled byautomated systems, allowing the variation of the heights of lifting thearms (6) forming different random undulations along the path of movementof the cart (4). In this illustration we can see that as the cart (4)moves along the rails (5) formed by the lifting arms (6) moves along theraceway (1) having random heights according to the setting and loweringsaid arms (6).

FIG. 3 shows an illustration showing the arm (6) can have various shapesand configurations and may have more than one arm (6) on the cart (4)being driven pumps (81) and hydraulic cylinders (8) independent,increased potential for different formations of waves along the raceway(1), with the car's movement (4) along the rails (5).

The traction of the cart (4) which displaces part of the wave formingmechanism, can be made as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 by chains (9)tensioned by motors (10) arranged in the track structure forming acarrier current type continuously, and providing some kind of cart hitch(4), pin type (42), or another solution. As shown in FIG. 5, there is aspecial point (91) of the chain (9) to be engaged on the cart (4); thecart (4) is pulled in the chain moving direction (9), when it is pulledby the motor (10). FIG. 6 also shows in detail the configuration of thispin (42) coupled to the special point (91) of the chain (9). Thedisplacement can be continuous, following the current (9), provided thatthe rails (5) allows this movement. The cart (4) can move within apre-defined distance by means of a limit sensor, or similar device,which performs the inversion of engine rotation (10) causing the drivewill perform a motion to back and forth. The tractor engine for the cart(4) can be comprised of flexible or similar steel cables, replacing thechains (9).

FIG. 7 shows an illustration of another possible configuration for theapplication of wave forming mechanism and the cart tractor drivemechanism (4), in this case for applications in predefined waveformations track; the cart (4) carries a mechanism for back-and-forth onthe rails (5). In this configuration the tractor mechanism consists of arack (11) disposed along the track and a engine (100) disposed in thecart. This engine has a gear (101) which connects to the rack (11), sothat with the rotation of the motor (100) allows displacement of thecart (4) along the rail (5). Upon arriving at the end of the cart drivecourse (4), the motor direction of rotation (100) is reversed, allowingthe cart (4) return on the rails (5), performing the movement ofback-and-forth. The wave forming mechanism may also have anotherconfiguration, because the type of the waving form be pre-defined; thehydraulic cylinder (8) lifting arms (6) as the other components arrangedto drive the cylinder (6), for example, hydraulic pumps (81) arereplaced by a guide (12), containing two channels (121, 122), andhandlebar elements (61) attached to the arms (6); These elements (61)are positioned and move along these channels (121, 122), when alreadypreset height by the handlebar positioning elements (61) in the arms(6). FIG. 7 shows the operation of inversion of the heights of the arms(6) at the end of travel of the wave track. The guide (12) provides end(123) and rounded openings (124 and 125) between said channels (121 and122) with sizing and spacing allowing the simultaneous passage of eachhandlebar member (61) of each arm (6) through each of the openings (124and 125), promoting the inversion of the handlebar elements (61) of eacharm (6) provided in cars (4). The inversion of the lifting height of thearms (6) enables movement back-and-forth of the cart (4) along with thepre-determined curl.

1. “UNDULATING TRACK AND MECHANISMS FOR THE FORMATION OF WAVES ON THISTRACK”, describes apparatus that can be used with recreational, sports,industrial purposes among other applications, characterized by a surfacecalled rolling track or raceway (1), consisting of flexible materialmounted on a flexible, belt type tubes (2) being supported by the endsof the conveyor pipe (2) in lateral supports (3); and by having cart (4)with wheels (41) supported on rails (5) mounted under said raceway (1)and having a wave forming mechanism, random or controlled mounted on thecart (4) provided below the bearing race (1) and said cart (4) movingsaid forming mechanism waves along the raceway (1) by means of a tractorengine cart (4).
 2. “UNDULATING TRACK AND MECHANISMS FOR THE FORMATIONOF WAVES ON THIS TRACK”, according to claim 1, characterized in formingmechanism waves be comprised of at least one lever arm (6) fixedpivotable bearing on the cart (4) and at least one end of said arm (6)comprises rollers (7) in contact with the lower surface of the conveyorpipe (2); and the elevation of the articulated arm (6) form at least anincrease in the bearing race (1) and this increase was moving along theroadway (1) through displacement in the cart (4) along the rails (5);and said arms (6) are articulated by means of hydraulic cylinders (8)driven hydraulic pump (81) and fed by batteries (82) or other compatibledevices; and arm reaching random times according to the setting cylinderactuator (8);
 3. “UNDULATING TRACK AND MECHANISMS FOR THE FORMATION OFWAVES ON THIS TRACK”, according to claim 1, characterized in tractorengine cart (4) is comprised of chains (9) arranged on the trackstructure, in the region of the rails (5), forming a continuous chainconveyor type, and the cart (4) provide some sort of hitch, pin type(42), to a special point (91) of the type eye/splint, the chain (9) sothat by engaging the pin (42) at the special point (91) of the chain (9)the cart (4) is pulled in the direction of travel of the chain (9) whenthis chain is pulled by the motor (10).
 4. “UNDULATING TRACK ANDMECHANISMS FOR THE FORMATION OF WAVES ON THIS TRACK”, according to claim1, characterized in tractor engine cart (4) is comprised of a rack (11)disposed along the rails (5) and a motor (100) arranged on the cart (4);and by said motor to provide a gear (101) which connects to said rack(11), so that with the rotation of the motor (100) allows the movementof the cart (4) along the rail (5); and get to the end of the cart drivecourse (4) the motor direction of rotation (100) is reversed; and toreturn the cart (4) the rails (5) and allow the movement ofback-and-forth;
 5. “UNDULATING TRACK AND MECHANISMS FOR THE FORMATION OFWAVES ON THIS TRACK”, according to claim 1, characterized by waveformation mechanism is comprised of a guide (12) consists of twochannels (121 and 122), and provide elements as handlebars (61) attachedto the articulated arms (6); and said handlebar members (61) arepositioned and move along these channels (121, 122) in a pre-set heightfor the positioning of handlebars elements (61) in the arms (6); and theguide (12) include ends (123) and round apertures (124 and 125) betweensaid channels (121, 122) with sizing and spacing to allow thesimultaneous passage of each handlebar member (61) of each arm (6) foreach of the apertures (124 and 125); and to allow the reversal of theposition and movement of the handlebars elements (61) of each arm (6).6. “UNDULATING TRACK AND MECHANISMS FOR THE FORMATION OF WAVES ON THISTRACK”, according to claim 1, characterized by support (3) lateral likea concrete beam or wall or similar structure;
 7. “UNDULATING TRACK ANDMECHANISMS FOR THE FORMATION OF WAVES ON THIS TRACK”, according to claim1, characterized by tractor cart mechanism (4) is comprised of aflexible steel cables or similar.